Fitz's Hits: Happy 50th to FOIA; Hard to buy 'soft on crime'

Saturday

Jul 2, 2016 at 4:03 PMJul 2, 2016 at 4:03 PM

Edward Fitzpatrick fitzprov

Absolutely!

As someone who is about to turn 50, I can tell you the milestone is not entirely welcome. But I am absolutely glad to hear the Freedom of Information Act will be turning 50 on July Fourth. “This is cause for celebration,” former Providence Phoenix news editor Philip Eil wrote in the Columbia Journalism Review, “and not just because President Obama signed a significant FOIA reform bill to mark the occasion (and atone in some small way for his abysmal FOIA record).” Eil, who remains locked in his own FOIA battle, provides a timeline, saying, “Since the law’s passage in 1966, FOIA requests have covered everything from nuclear tests in Alaska to Vice President Spiro Agnew’s resignation, from the last moments of the Space Shuttle Challenger to the attacks on Sept. 11, from Amtrak cafeteria-car complaints to John Lennon’s FBI file.” As we celebrate independence, let’s be sure to acknowledge those who file FOIA requests, taking part in what Eil calls “a monumental, multi-decade experiment to see what happens when the most powerful nation in the world says, in essence: ‘We’re here, and legally obligated, to answer your questions.’ ”

YouGottaBeKiddingMe

“Soft on crime”? What is this — the 1980s? When The Providence Journal ran its “Race in Rhode Island” series last year, House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello offered some thoughtful comments on sentencing and probation matters. Mattiello, a lawyer, said the state should reexamine sentencing laws stemming from the so-called war on drugs. “We just simply have to be smarter,” he said. And in a state with the second-highest probation rate, he said, “Our probationary periods are too long.” For 10 months, the 27-member Justice Reinvestment Working Group, formed by Governor Raimondo, worked with the Council of State Governments, and the Senate passed six criminal justice bills. But the bills died in the House during the all-nighter that concluded the legislative session. Mattiello said changes made as the bills moved through the Senate caused concern. “They were a little soft on crime,” he said. “We will revisit them next year.” Let’s hope so. The working group showed that the probation system is “in crisis” and the state could save millions by improving it. While this session is over, the need for smart reform remains.